Welcome to Project 2 in this series exploring the possibilities provided by diabolical kits for dioramas, gratuitously accompanied by hits of the 60’s of course. Project 1 completed in April was Masterbox’s Mercedes Type 170 staff car partly inspired by Janis Joplin. This time, the immortal…

Ok Tim - I'm in! Here's my guess, you have figured out how to build a dio of a truck, being bravely driven across...a frozen lake! That glass table top, plus water effect, plus ambient light = a scene that actually "looks" like a really big and desolate surface! As you know from my recent build, I couldn't achieve that look of actual size!! Maybe you've figured out how to break the size/scale barrier!!

Ok Tim, I'm guessing either the frozen expanse of the East Front, like has been put forth already, orrr, just maybe, a shallow river crossing? I see you've made some body skins from foil as well, oh do tell.

Wait! after revisiting your clues Tim, could it be a sorry fate indeed for an old Soviet era lorry: broken down, inaccessible and abandoned, subsequently being subjected to abuse by any and all passing troops?! Humiliating this would be.Aluminum sheeting being just so cooperative in creating the damage to said tuck.

Hey Robbie - great looking USS Chicago (and background), it’s been a while...so it’s time you came back!

Hey Nick/Mike/Dave - that’s a brilliant idea, a race across Lake Ladoga to relieve Leningrad. Ice Ice baby, somebody should do that. Possibly during my Shiraz-fuelled reverie I may have wondered if the GAZ chugging across the glaciers on Europa to engage the Death Star would get any..er..traction

But no, although it is winter here right now the last time snow fell (in Sydney) was about 20 years ago for 5 minutes. Anyhow nope, comforting to know I haven’t given the game away from the get-go, the only humiliation in this dio will be all mine if I screw up

Although...between you guys there’s an inkling, like 10% right, but it’s current policy to neither confirm or deny operational matters. Foiled again heh heh

Interesting coincidence regarding Stefan/Blaubar’s civilian Merc 170 review on the AFV forum & the discussion about using tin foil for chrome parts last week. I’ve been using both domestic grades for steel equivalent - aluminium roll (the duller side) and oven tray, the drive shaft & door hinges made from the latter, rolled not over some Cuban jeva’s thigh alas but my accident-prone fingers, & if you thought paper-cuts took a long time to heal, I could have covered maybe one door with red “primer”.

Also spooky was the realisation that I’d unwittingly resumed the trade of my mother’s 19th century ancestors, generations of Yorkshire whitesmiths who cast & fabricated tin components mainly for the looms and shuttles of the wool industry up there. Pity I can’t seem to channel them when dealing with etched brass

I’ve tried to reproduce the kit’s fit problems with varying degrees of failure but that’ll be part of its charm

Nearly finished the metal-isation & details, then it’s on to the wooden cargo tray & beyond

For a moment I did consider building an Opel Blitz to the same spec and…

Poles test fitting - maybe 5mm lower (they’re supposed to be tall but not that tall) & probably a cross-brace along each side. Windows, metal ties securing the cargo tray to the chassis & patent tarps to finish construction, then off to the paint shop.

…and so to the tarpaulin – the usual 2 x 2ply plain tissues held together & bathed in a powder-paint mix, lifted out onto clean tissue to soak up excess paint and laid onto the support poles to dry, with gentle dabbing with a large soft brush to get the right sag…we’ve discussed giving good sag before. It looks too green because it’s still damp…

Meanwhile the truck - a top spacing spar seemed the easiest solution to hold the poles in place – not authentic but it won’t be seen. There’s still a lot of dry-fitting which is why some elements such as the entire cargo tray appear out of alignment

Seems to be sitting back on its haunches here, not such a bad thing if it’s hauling…

Acetate windows in place – the rest of the windscreen wiper’s fallen off already…

When dry the tarp’s easily teased off the poles despite a 20% injection of PVA glue in the powder-paint bath. As a result it can stand up on its own & has the malleability of say heavy cotton, which is handy for trimming and sharpening up creases. Ties to hold it to the side-boards to come

Just enough opacity in the canvas – still needs a proper rear flap, made from off-cut. The 2 wires supporting the tailboard are temporary…

Apart from the above minor details, weathering & muddying its nether regions, one GAZ as ordered and what a jalopy it is. Some may wonder why this apparently single-vehicle build log isn’t on the Russo-Soviet forum. Well…no, firstly because this isn’t a standard build (the reasons for that will become clear later although there are some obscure clues already), and secondly it is an important component of the dio-in-the-making.

Hi Tim,This update tried to sneak by me, but I slipped on my tin-foil hat and was able to locate it. The GAZ GAZ tarp is looking really good! However, I still haven't got a clew as to what you are up to now, but the suspense is killing me!

Thanks for your patience guys, I’m working as fast as time allows – Mike maybe this’ll help some, & Conor you’re kinda on the right track but it has some bends. So, if the foregoing was Chapter 1 this must be Chapter 2…

Switching to his lend-lease Willy’s (the GAZ broke down on the way back to the depot) Flashov demands his staff finds a safer cross-country route, because the main road link’s under constant bombardment…

All remaining serviceable trucks are mustered as another German artillery barrage subsides…

Across country it will take at least an hour to get through, Flashov’s main concern is the lack of any convoy protection & he’s not thinking prophylactics. Urgent calls to nearby units result in just one nearly-available vehicle, an outdated and troublesome truck with multiple mechanical problems being worked on nearby…

And so for Chapter 3 you’re invited to step right over to the Russo-Soviet forum thread “GAZ AAA Quad wrangle” – it’s over there because it’s a straight oob build...and an unsolicited review.

Chapter 4 will resume back here as soon as the mechanic has fixed up the Quad, and then…

Thanks Kurt, yo Mike I did have eyes on the record-player shooter last week but felt the plinth would baulk his left leg & the arms are too outstretched. Possibly all amendable but instead I found a guy in the Punishment platoon (useless and/or dismembered figures in the spares box), he’s just come off the operating table now & responding well to corrective political instruction…veery well indeed…

Thanks Cheyenne, it needs servicing already. Phil - no ice, ice, baby this is high summer but you’re definitely on the right track with that elementary thinking. As for the other thing...I got some game